Facebook is facing a crisis. Cambridge Analytica used 50 million users’ personal information without their permission to create targeted campaigns during the 2016 presidential campaign. Users want answers. The media wants answers. Congress wants answers. Still, during this storm, Facebook’s CEO Mark Zuckerberg was conspicuously absent. From news accounts, it’s not just that he wasn’t appearing in public. He also seems to be invisible internally. One news account was speculating that we had more concern about protecting his brand than facing the bigger issues. He broke his silence yesterday, after #WheresZuck took over social media. By not being present, his leadership brand has taken the hit.
Crisis situations (and even garden-variety mistakes) often involve rapid rates of change in stakeholder perceptions and actions. How should leaders handle it when things go wrong? When poor decisions are made? When they simply make a mistake? Here are four tips:
- Get in front of it. News travels fast these days. Whether it’s through social media or the good old fashion office grapevine, people will know something has happened. Don’t wait to acknowledge the issue.
- Own it. I very vividly remember sitting in a meeting with a CEO and his team. The CEO called one of his directs out about something that didn’t go well. The leader’s response was simple: “I made a mistake. Here’s what I’m doing to resolve the issue.” No hemming and hawing. No blaming. And, this admission didn’t tarnish his reputation. It continued to elevate it. Both before and after, he was consistently regarded as one of the best division heads in the company.
- Keep people informed. For a situation like the one Facebook is dealing with, there is no quick fix. A multitude of conversations are happening and decisions need to be made out of the public eye. That said, employees and customers need to know that something is happening. Whether the mistake is visible to 1 person or millions, they need to know that something is happening. And, avoid the platitudes. “We’re in discussions” or “We’re assessing the situation” sound like corporate-speak. Treat people like the adults they are. Even if there is no decision or resolution yet, people need to know what has been done and what your general goals are for resolution.
- Take the heat. It’s likely that there will be unhappy people in this situation. Even senior executives shy away from conflict and are known to avoid situations that involve a strong negative reaction. However, leadership means that the ‘buck stops here’. People need to know that you understand the situation. And not not just on an intellectual level but that you acknowledge the emotions involved. Don’t just talk about the facts, allow space for the feelings. “We know that some people are frustrated by…”
- Say “I’m sorry.” Or, “I take responsibility.” Or, “I apologize.” But only if you mean it. Leaders are successful, in part, because of the actions they take, the decisions they make, and the results they get. That success can make it hard to admit that what you did or how it turned out had a negative impact or hurt people. Trust is the foundation of leadership. Without saying those two or three small words when it’s needed, that foundation will erode. You could end up being labeled as that person who thinks he or she can do no wrong.
How have you seen leaders handle bad situations?
